Alleged Getaway Driver Charged In Rogers Park Shooting Death

CHICAGO (CBS) — A 31-year-old man has been charged in connection with the death of a photographer who was slain at a Rogers Park bus stop in broad daylight last week. Prosecutors said Eric Vaughn handed the gun to the shooter, and drove the getaway vehicle.

Witnesses said 28-year-old Wil Lewis was standing at a bus stop in the 1300 block of West Devon Avenue around 3:20 p.m. Friday, when a man walked up, pulled out a gun, and shot him in the back. Lewis was taken to Presence Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Eric Vaughn, 31, was arrested Saturday, police said. He has since been charged with one count of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, and one misdemeanor count of reckless driving. He also was issued three traffic citations.

Prosecutors said he drove the getaway car, and handed the shooter the gun used to kill Lewis, but was not the shooter. The gunman allegedly was aiming at a gang rival, but hit Lewis instead. Vaughn was denied bail at a bond hearing Monday afternoon.

“Defendant Vaughn told the uncharged co-defendant to wet that t-shirt up, which meant to make victim bleed,” said prosecutor Alexandra Molesky

Eric Vaughn (Credit: Chicago Police)

A married photographer based in the Milwaukee area, Lewis had just moved to the Ravenswood neighborhood from Wisconsin last year, and then moved to Rogers Park a couple weeks ago. He was supposed to start a new full-time job on Monday at Trunk Club, a menswear fashion & style site that specializes in home delivery. His wife is an art director at the Leo Burnett marketing agency.

Ald. Joe Moore (49th) was walking on the block at the time of the shooting, and saw the gunman fire repeatedly at people at the bus stop.

“It was surreal, and quite a shock. You can read about it in newspapers, and see news accounts about homicides and shootings, but until you witness one first-hand, you don’t really know what it’s like to experience that violence,” Moore told WBBM Newsradio. “I’ve been very involved with crime and public safety issues in my neighborhood, and over the years … unfortunately we’ve had some shootings in my neighborhood, but this is the first time I ever actually witnessed a gun being fired in a criminal act.”

Sources close to the investigation believe the shooter is a teenager, as young as 15. They also tell CBS 2’s Dana Kozlov the intended target in this shooting was also the intended target in the Rogers Park McDonald’s shooting back in February, which ended with one person dead and two others injured.